CHICAGO (WGEM) – Illinois has a shortage of behavioral and mental health care workers and state lawmakers are looking for solutions.
Thursday, the state Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee and state House Mental Health and Addiction Committee held a joint hearing in Chicago hearing directly from those working in the field about their struggles.
“We really are at an inflection point when it comes to behavioral health access in Illinois,” said state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago.
Right now, there are more people seeking mental health treatment but those in the industry said there aren’t enough people to treat them.
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“The primary impact of the behavioral health workforce shortage is its impact on the well-being of Illinois’ residents at times when they are most vulnerable. Individuals and families too often search for behavioral health care for themselves or a loved one and give up their search due long wait times, high costs and travel distances,” said Dr. Kari Wolf, the chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
She said for those who don’t give up trying to find help, it can take several months to see a therapist, six months to see a psychiatrist and over a year for neuropsychological testing.
“Could you imagine waiting six months if you had just been diagnosed with cancer and waiting six months to receive care for that,” Wolf said.
She said Illinois simply doesn’t have enough mental health professionals to meet demand.
She did give lawmakers recommendations to help alleviate the crisis:
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Streamlining licensing
Expanding pathway and mentorship programs
Creating new clinical training programs and sites
Provide postgraduate training for nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Increase Medicaid reimbursement rates
Improving the state’s mental health insurance coverage parity law
“At the end of the day, if we don’t have humans in positions and paid jobs that pay decent and well, then even with that willing to seek treatment, people all across Illinois won’t be able to access it,” LaPointe said.
Thursday’s hearing is on the start for committee members. They plan to hold another hearing Feb. 23 in Chicago looking for potential solutions to the crisis.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office is warning residents of a “new surge” in scam texts claiming to be from the DMV and demanding money.
According to a press release from Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, residents are receiving text messages falsely claiming to either be from his office or a DMV, threatening suspension of license and vehicle registration if “fines” are not paid.
The messages often include links that can be used to steal residents’ information, and Giannoulias’ office is reminding residents to use vigilance and caution when receiving such messages.
“These text messages look legitimate and are designed to frighten people into acting quickly before they have time to think,” Giannoulias said. “Our office will never send a text message demanding payment or threatening to suspend someone’s license. If you receive a message like this, remember it’s a scam – plain and simple. Do not click the link and please report the message to scamalert@ilsos.gov.”
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According to his office, the messages often reference fake regulations or deadlines, and cite an upcoming enforcement date to add an air of urgency to the texts.
“These schemes are designed to create panic and trick individuals into surrendering money or personal information,” the Secretary of State’s Office said.
If a motorist receives a text, they are urged:
-NEVER to click a link
-Do not reply
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-Do not provide personal information
-Forward the message to the SOS’ scam alert email.
The only legitimate text messages the Secretary of State’s Office sends are to remind motorists of upcoming appointments at DMV facilities.
The No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (25-8) take on the No. 11 seed VCU Rams (28-7) with a Sweet 16 spot on the line on Saturday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
How to watch VCU Rams vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
Stats to know
Illinois has a +501 scoring differential, topping opponents by 15.2 points per game. It is putting up 85.0 points per game to rank 17th in college basketball and is allowing 69.8 per outing to rank 67th in college basketball.
Illinois knocks down 11.0 three-pointers per game (eighth-most in college basketball), 2.6 more than its opponents (8.4). It is shooting 34.9% from deep (126th in college basketball) while allowing opponents to shoot 31.3%.
VCU has a +347 scoring differential, topping opponents by 9.9 points per game. It is putting up 81.6 points per game, 55th in college basketball, and is giving up 71.7 per outing to rank 116th in college basketball.
VCU knocks down 9.4 three-pointers per game (60th in college basketball) at a 36.9% rate (31st in college basketball), compared to the 6.8 per game its opponents make, at a 32.9% rate.
This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
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Photo: Patrick Smith, Andy Lyons, Steph Chambers, Jamie Squire / Getty Images
